The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ife crisis

  • Ife crisis: Panel gets 140 memoranda as sitting begins

    The panel of enquiry set up by Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola to probe the causes of March 8 bloody clash between in the indigenes of Ile-Ife and the Hausa settlers began its sitting yesterday.

    The sitting was held at Oba Okunade Sijuade Memorial Hall at Enuwa in Ile-Ife.

    The panel, headed by Justice Moshood Adeigbe, urged petitioners to cooperate with the panel to achieve its objectives within the stipulated time.

    He said the panel was given four weeks to submit its findings to the government, adding that the panel will be fair to everybody.

    Also, indigenes of Ile-Ife yesterday barricaded the road to the venue of the sitting.

    The protesters, who carried placards with various inscriptions, claimed they lost property estimated at millions of naira in the crisis.

    One of the petitioners, Reverend Rotimi Omisakin, said his church and shop were burnt by suspected Hausa boys.

    The cleric said he needed N150,000 to repair the church.

    He said: “I was on the prayer mountain when my wife called me that some Hausa boys came to our house and burnt her shop and church. I want to appeal to the government to give me N150,000, which I need to repair my church.”

    Also, Rotimi Fabunmi, who claimed to represent his stepmother, said property estimated at N480,000 was burnt at his stepmother’s shop.

    He said kolanuts and palm oil valued at N480,000 were burnt by unidentified hoodlums during the crisis.

    The panel’s secretary, Bisi Babalola, said the panel had received 140 memoranda.

    He said the panel would  sit everyday to meet the four-week deadline to complete its assignment.

  • Ife crisis: Monarchs seek release of colleague, others

    Ife crisis: Monarchs seek release of colleague, others

    The traditional rulers in Ife, Osun State, have called for immediate and unconditional release of the Lawarikan of Apoje, Oba Ademola Adedewe Ademiluyi and others in police custody.

    The monarch and other suspects were arrested over the violent clash between indigenes of Ife and Hausa settlers on March 8.

    They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to order and release the suspects, pending the conclusion of investigation.

    The monarchs, under the aegis of the New Dawn Ife Kingdom Obas, bemoaned what they called the desecration of Yoruba custom and tradition.

    They said detention and parade of Ademiluyi and “innocent” indigenes of Ife was illegal.

    The monarchs said Oba Ademuyi and those arrested should be taken to court of the police had any case against them rather than keeping them indefinitely in the custody and violating their fundamental human rights.

    Addressing reporters yesterday at Ile-Ife, the chairman of the New Dawn Ife Kingdom Obas, the Laroka of Wanikin-Ife, Oba Kole Ojutalayo, said a letter he wrote with the Lesi-Ekun of Omifunfun-Ife, Oba Samson Adelabu Adeyeye, had been sent to President Buhari to intervene in the matter.

    According to him, Vice President Yemi Osibajo, Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris and other officers were sent copied of the letter, dated April 3.

    Quoting the letter, he said: “It came to us as a surprise when on March 9 Oba Ademola Adedewe Ademiluyi, the Lawarinkan of Apoje, Ile-Ife, was declared wanted by the police in connection with the crisis. This is based on available concrete evidence that Oba Ademiluyi had been in Lagos State at his cousin’s residence before the crisis occurred on March 8, the day of the crisis.

    “As respectable traditional ruler and responsible citizen of this nation, Oba Ademiluyi came from Lagos to Ife. He stopped by at the Ipetumodu Police Division, a neighbouring town to Ife, on March 10, as he could not proceed directly to Ife because of the insecurity in the town at that time.

    “The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Ipetumodu contacted the Area Commander at Ile-Ife, who, with his team, came to affect the arrest of Oba Ademiluyi and subsequently whisked him away to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

    “While in police custody, Oba Adeniyi was stripped of his royal and traditional paraphernalia, including removal of his cap, thereby exposing his bare head, which is contrary to the Yoruba custom. As if this was not enough, he was paraded by the police like a common criminal, alongside other innocent Ife suspects that were arrested.”

  • Ife crisis: Monarchs seek release of colleague, others

    The traditional rulers in Ife, Osun State, have called for immediate and unconditional release of the Lawarikan of Apoje, Oba Ademola Adedewe Ademiluyi and others in police custody.

    The monarch and other suspects were arrested over the violent clash between indigenes of Ife and Hausa settlers on March 8.

    They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to order and release the suspects, pending the conclusion of investigation.

    The monarchs, under the aegis of the New Dawn Ife Kingdom Obas, bemoaned what they called the desecration of Yoruba custom and tradition.

    They said detention and parade of Ademiluyi and “innocent” indigenes of Ife was illegal.

    The monarchs said Oba Ademuyi and those arrested should be taken to court of the police had any case against them rather than keeping them indefinitely in the custody and violating their fundamental human rights.

    Addressing reporters yesterday at Ile-Ife, the chairman of the New Dawn Ife Kingdom Obas, the Laroka of Wanikin-Ife, Oba Kole Ojutalayo, said a letter he wrote with the Lesi-Ekun of Omifunfun-Ife, Oba Samson Adelabu Adeyeye, had been sent to President Buhari to intervene in the matter.

    According to him, Vice President Yemi Osibajo, Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris and other officers were sent copied of the letter, dated April 3.

    Quoting the letter, he said: “It came to us as a surprise when on March 9 Oba Ademola Adedewe Ademiluyi, the Lawarinkan of Apoje, Ile-Ife, was declared wanted by the police in connection with the crisis. This is based on available concrete evidence that Oba Ademiluyi had been in Lagos State at his cousin’s residence before the crisis occurred on March 8, the day of the crisis.

    “As respectable traditional ruler and responsible citizen of this nation, Oba Ademiluyi came from Lagos to Ife. He stopped by at the Ipetumodu Police Division, a neighbouring town to Ife, on March 10, as he could not proceed directly to Ife because of the insecurity in the town at that time.

    “The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Ipetumodu contacted the Area Commander at Ile-Ife, who, with his team, came to affect the arrest of Oba Ademiluyi and subsequently whisked him away to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

    “While in police custody, Oba Adeniyi was stripped of his royal and traditional paraphernalia, including removal of his cap, thereby exposing his bare head, which is contrary to the Yoruba custom. As if this was not enough, he was paraded by the police like a common criminal, alongside other innocent Ife suspects that were arrested.”

  • Ife Crisis: Police unfair to Yoruba, says Afenifere

    Ife Crisis: Police unfair to Yoruba, says Afenifere

    The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere has criticised the Police over the manner they handled the recent Hausa/Fulani crisis in Ile-Ife.

    It emphasised that the Police are not fair to the Yorubas.

    At its meeting held Tuesday at the residence of its leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti in Akure, the Ondo State, Afenifere condemned the action of the Police, especially the arrest of 20 Yoruba people.

    The group accused police of bias and sectional in the way they handled the matter.

    The Publicity Secretary of the organization, Yinka Odumakin, who read the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting said “Afenifere becomes worried with the way the Police handled the Ife crisis, especially considering the fact that the leadership of the presidency and that of the Police are from one of the sections involved in the crisis.”

    Afenifere therefore urged the Police to investigate the crisis with utmost fairness and in line with the ethics of the profession.

    It insisted that the suspects arrested in connection with the crisis must be returned to Osun State where the offence was allegedly committed, rather than being tried in Abuja.

    Afenifere advised the Police to stop further dehumanizing of the suspects, warning them against further sectional judgment.

    The group noted that the office of the state Attorney General should be given roles to play in the constitution, stressing that on Ife crisis, the office of the Attorney General of Osun State and the Ministry of Justice as a whole should be the one to advise the Police on the matter.

    On Fulani herdsmen, Afenifere said a seven-member panel has been set up to move round all the communities in the South West to ascertain the level of damage done by the Fulani herdsmen.

    Besides,it charged the Governors the northern states to build ranches within their states to avoid invasion of farm land by cattle.

  • Police not biased in its handling of Ife crisis – Idris

    Police not biased in its handling of Ife crisis – Idris

    The police responded on Friday to the accusation partiality in the investigation of the recent communal crisis in Ile-Ife, Osun State, that claimed at least 46 lives.

    The clash pitched Yorubas against the Hausas in the ancient city.

    The police moved in and arrested several suspects majority of whom are Yorubas.

    The development drew sharp criticism from prominent Yoruba leaders and groups, who accused police of favouring the Hausa people in the investigation of the crisis.

    They wondered why only the Yoruba suspects are being arrested and harassed over the clash.

    However, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has dismissed the allegation of bias by the police.

    “Crime has no tribe,” he told State House Correspondents after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the security situation in different part of the country.

    He added: “if you are a criminal you are a criminal.

    “Crime has no face. We don’t look at crime in the identity of where you are coming from.

    “As far as you are a criminal and the police find you wanting, we apply the law.”

    Idris expressed doubts over the involvement of Fulani herdsmen in the recent killings in Zaki Biam, Benue State.

    He said indications point in the direction of a wanted hoodlum, Gana.

    He said, “No I don’t think its Fulani herdsmen. It was a criminal who is using members of his criminal gang in the state to harass people.”

     

  • Ife crisis: 20 suspects arrested

    Ife crisis: 20 suspects arrested

    •Aregbesola, Kwankwaso caution media 

    Twenty people have been arrested in connection with last week’s violence in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
    Governor Rauf Aregbesola said this yesterday when the senator representing Kano Central, Rabiu Kwankwaso visited him in Osogbo, the state capital
    The duo cautioned the media against reports that could jeopardise the peace of the country.
    Aregbesola said the suspects will be punished.
    Kwankwaso described as rumours reports that Hausa people in Ife have been migrating from the state.
    He said commentators should be careful with reports on both conventional and social media so as not to spark another crisis in other parts of the country.
    The senator spoke during a condolence visit to the governor at the Government House, Osogbo.
    “I want to appeal to our reporters to be mindful of how they report the crisis so that it won’t lead to a reprisal attack in other parts of the country.
    “We should be mindful of what we write and use on our conventional media and social media as well, we need some sense of responsibility from our media houses.
    “We are not saying you should not do your job, but you should know that you also have a responsibility of maintaining peace in our society,” he said.
    The senator thanked the government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for trying to make life bearable for the victims.
    “I am using this opportunity to appeal to the Hausa community in Ife and around Osun to embrace peace and continue to live together in unity with their Yoruba hosts.
    “Wherever you find yourself is your home and you should ensure it is peaceful.”
    Kwankwaso was accompanied by Aregbesola to the scene of the crisis.
    Aregbesola said what happened was accidental as Osun people are peace loving and accommodating.
    He noted that the Yoruba may fight one another but they are always protective of and friendly with their visitors.
    He buttressed his point with the Ife/Modakeke crisis which he said never touched the Hausa community.
    According to him Yoruba and Hausa did not engage in any fight but the crisis was caused by miscreants from both sides of the divide.
    “What caused the crisis was a minor disagreement. We are afraid that those who want to cause chaos in the country might be behind this crisis
    “If you look around you will find out that enemies of peace are at work and they are few.”